Complaints
by Rain Harmonia
Summary: Cicero and the Listener are headed back to the Dawnstar Sanctuary after completing a contract. However, Cicero has a few issues with the journey. Good thing his kind and thoughtful Listener is such a...well, kind and thoughtful person.


**Complaints**

 _LDR: So I've been informed by a friend of mine (goes by The Inspectre on this site; he's a good writer) that he'll not be giving me reviews until I write more Skyrim stuff. Then I got a review asking for more Skyrim stuff. So here's another Skyrim thing, Spec._

 _This one's based on a picture I found online. I'd link to it, but this site doesn't allow links. Also it's not at all connected to my other Skyrim fic, Why Cure Madness? so yeah. No knowledge of that required for this, though if ya like Cicero then that one also has him in it._

 _I don't own Skyrim or the picture this was based on, but I do own my OC and I hope y'all enjoy my attempt at a fluffy Listener x Cicero one-shot!_

* * *

"Listenerrrrrr." The Nord woman stopped when she heard the whine, waiting for the short Imperial man to flounder his way through the deep snow and catch up to her. When he did, he immediately nuzzled against her side, his arms wrapped tightly around himself. "Cicero is cold."

"I warned you we'd be taking a shortcut over the mountains, Ciss. You should have dressed for it." Hiding a smile, Katrinna Frost-Blade swung her pack off her back, holding it away from the thick layer of snow that covered the ground with one hand, and rummaging around inside with her other hand.

"I did, I did! Cicero wore his warmest motley! But Cicero is still cold." The Jester pressed himself closer to Katrinna as she paused to tuck some errant strands of brown hair that fallen in front of her blue eyes back under her fur-lined hat.

"Well, lucky for you I packed some extra furs. You can wear them. No, don't give me that look," she added quickly, knowing his expression had morphed into quite an incredulous one. "Put it on over your motley."

"But–"

"It's that or freeze, Ciss." The furs draped over one arm, she placed her pack on her back again. Then she turned to face the Jester, putting a small, pleading frown on her face. "And think how I would feel if you froze. I'd feel awful." One of her arms went around him, hugging him to her, as he dithered a few moments longer before snatching the furs and pulling them on. Listening to him mutter under his breath about his motley being covered, Katrinna smiled and pulled the Jester closer, leaning down to plant a kiss on his frozen cheek. "Motley or no motley, you're still my Cicero. And like I said, it was either wear the furs or become an icicle, and think how much I'd miss you if you were stuck up here as an icicle."

"Cicero thinks being an icicle sounds too cold. And he would miss his Listener too."

She chuckled, and he grinned at her, managing to keep up with her for only another few steps before the deep snow caused the unfortunately short Imperial to slow and fall behind. Katrinna stepped to the side so that she was in front of him and purposely began to drag her boot-clad feet, leaving deep furrows in the white powder that made Cicero's path a little easier to handle. Soon enough, he was directly behind her, the Nord becoming alert to his close proximity when she felt a gentle tug on her bag. "Ciss? What are you doing back there?"

"Cicero is hungry, sweet Listener. Need a sweet roll. Or a carrot."

"I really do know you well... There's a sweet roll in there somewhere, wrapped in paper and kept from freezing by a bunch of scraps of furs." She bent down a little so he could reach inside, feeling her pack jerk slightly as Cicero shoved his arm in the opening, withdrawing his wrapped, semi-warm prize a few seconds later.

"The great and powerful Listener knows all," he giggled.

She glanced over her shoulder to grin at him. "All about my Keeper, yes."

He grinned back, then focused on tearing into the sweetroll as the trek continued in silence for the next few minutes. That silence ended as a singsong voice sounded behind Katrinna. "Madness is merry and merriment's might when the Jester comes calling with his knife in the night."

She felt a smile creep onto her face. "Done eating, Ciss?"

"Cicero knows that one is his sweet Listener's favorite," he responded. "I'm just trying to make this miserable trip more enjoyable."

"Is being with me really so awful?"

"Oh no no no! Cicero thinks the company is perfect! It is the slogging and stumbling and struggling through the cold, cold mountains that is awful. Oh, but Listener, while we're on the subject, Cicero's feet hurt."

"Cicero's feet hurt? Well lucky for Cicero his Listener is willing to do something about that." Katrinna stopped and shrugged her pack off her shoulders, turning around to hand it to the short man. "You carry the pack," she said as he placed it on his back, "and I'll carry you." She turned away from him and crouched in the snow. "Come on. I'll give you a ride until the snow gets shallower, since you're so short." He floundered his way closer, his arms going around her shoulders and feet lifting up to latch around her waist. The Nord straightened up with a small grunt and began to move again.

It was a few minutes later that she felt Cicero's hands move against her torso, gloved fingers wriggling towards her breasts. "The Listener thinks Cicero goes too far–"

"Oh," he sighed sadly.

"–but will be happy to ignore that thought once we're back at the Sanctuary and behind closed doors."

"Oh!" This time the sound was more of a giggle, and definitely a happy one. Katrinna smirked and reached back to twitch her fingers against his sides, feeling him squirm against her as he attempted to hold on, laughing. "Listener! That tickles!"

"I'm just trying to make this miserable trip more enjoyable," she parroted his earlier words. Then she let out a chuckle of her own. "We should be almost there, Ciss. I'm setting you down now. The snow's much more manageable and you're starting to get heavy. Think you should cut back on the sweetrolls?"

"But it is the Listener who provides Cicero with so many sweetrolls! Humble Cicero only does as he is told."

"Point taken. I'll stop carrying snacks for you."

"Oh, Listener, please don't! Cicero gets so hungry after doing sneaky and stabby and shooty and bloody things!" His head came forward, chin resting on her shoulder, and the sideways glance she cast his way had certainly not been necessary to envision the pleading look on his face.

"Relax, I'm joking! I'll just start carrying carrots instead of sweetrolls."

"Cicero likes carrots."

"Dawnstar's getting close. Down you go." The woman stopped and crouched again, letting Cicero hop to the ground. She took her pack from him, then ran to catch up as he skipped ahead, singing one of his silly little rhymes. Which one was this? Ah, the one about the bird. She should have known. He seemed quite partial to that one.

Dear Sithis, how did such a short man move so fast? Katrinna snapped herself out of her thoughts, further increasing her pace. "Cicero! Wait for me! Nothing's happening at the Sanctuary until I get there anyway!" He was obviously excited, and in more ways than one, she noted as she drew level with him. Grinning, she grasped his hand and put on another burst of speed.

Cicero wasn't the only one excited to get back to the Sanctuary.

* * *

 _LDR: So, uhhhh...yeah. I've never written fluff before. I hope that turned out okay. I dunno, but I'll let you guys be the judges. Also, I know it was short. Sorry.  
_

 _Drop a favorite, leave a review; lemme know whatcha think!_

 _LDR out._


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